Ghost Stories
by Sleepy Sheep Guardian
Summary: AU Once upon a time, two boys were telling ghost stories. The End. It was a dark and stormy night, and ghost stories were telling two boys that were was no such thing as The End. R


SS – Hello everyone. I've been inactive up 'till now and am very sorry for it, but I couldn't ignore the call of Halloween. For more information, go to my page thingy.

This will be my first trip into the DNAngel fandom so please be kind. My friend told me this scary story a while ago during an October Festival at my school and after I heard it I thought that it would make the perfect setting for these characters. However, I suck at the scary stuff, so…you've been warned. This probably won't come across asfrightening at all.

I'm basing this story around that scary one so they will be alike. Even if you know the story, humor me and give it a try. It might be interesting. To the others who have never heard it before, enjoy!

_Ghost Stories  
_One-shot  
Disclaimer: I do not own DNAngel or the story "Pepper" or any other stories from which this fanfiction is based off of. I am not claiming any credit nor am I making any profit from this work.  
**Warning**: Even though I'm a horrible horror author, certain blood images were necessary in some form, so just be wary of the ending. I also apologize for my spelling/grammatical errors as I was in a slight rush to finish this.

---

"Dark? Dark, can you get the door for me, please?" There was a light shuffling and juggling of boxes before the door opened, revealing a tall, dark-haired boy with a grinning face.

"Need help, Hijiri?"

Peeking out from the side of the pile of boxes a boy of the same age but with mousy-brown hair gave an exasperated sigh and nodded. "Well what do you think?"

"I'm sorry, but I was busy." Dark took the top box and ushered his new roommate inside of their dorm.

Hijiri practically stumbled over the threshold. Some smaller boxes of books and personal belongings were strewn over the floor; most of them labeled _DARK_. He looked at them disapprovingly. "Busy with what? It doesn't look like you've been unpacking your stuff."

"I'll get to those," Dark set the box down and glanced around, searching for something. "But I was actually trying to settle Bandit down."

Unwanted confusion clouded Hijiri's green eyes. "Bandit—ahh!" And then he was flat on the ground, helpless, as a small black dog greeted him with sloppy licks.

Dark's smile grew. "Bandit!" Ignoring Hijiri's apparent discomfort, the boy picked up the rumple of fur and rewarded it with a pat on the muzzle. "Good boy, you already know and love Hijiri."

Sitting up indignantly, Hijiri pointed and glared at the animal as if it was the plague personified. "Dark, what the hell is that and what is it doing here!"

Turning away from the boy slightly, Dark 'tsked' him. "Such foul language, and here I thought you were supposed to be the little do-gooder between us. What will my parents say if they knew I was moving in with someone…well, someone just like me?" He asked rhetorically.

Hijiri picked himself up and sighed. "Dark, you know animals aren't allowed in the dorm," he quickly kicked the door shut and straightened out his clothes. "You're going to get us expelled before the semester even begins."

It was the middle of August and the two eighteen-year-old boys were the newest additions to the Hima dormitory of Shinjuku University. It was two cities down from Azumano, and Dark couldn't be happier. Of course he loved his family, but it was nice to finally be away. And now that he found the perfect roommate, he was positive that his mother wouldn't worry and drive down every weekend to check in on him.

"I already told you, Bandit is a good boy," the dog nuzzled him in response. "He's trained not to bark unless I tell him to." Sensing the look of uncertainty, Dark reassured his friend. "Besides, he's a short-hair, it's not like we'll have to clean up too often."

"We?"

He snorted. "Ok, me. He's small, too, so taking him out for walks and bathroom breaks won't be a problem."

Hijiri turned to his boxes and prepared to move them to his room. It was useless to argue with someone who only listened to what he wanted to hear half of the time. "Fine, but I'm holding you to your word." Sometimes it amazed Hijiri that Dark had been accepted into the University, what with his noticeably lazy, sometimes immature behavior, but he did have a way with words…

"Did you hear that, Bandit? Looks like there'll be three boys living in this dorm." The dog barked in gleeful response, and Hijiri stopped in his tracks. He pivoted around, his eyes green as envy itself. Dark clamped his hand over Bandit's muzzle and gave his best 'I'm innocent' smile.

Hijiri shook his head as he continued into his room. "Why'd I ever agree to move in with that guy?" he muttered under his breath.

Hijiri was the only child of a wealthy artisan who lived in Monaco (1). And though it hurt to do so, he left his home to study abroad so that he could pursue his own dreams, just as his father had. He had lived in Azumano for two years, and attended the same high school as Dark, which is how they know each other. Since he came from "respectable heritage" as Dark deemed it, he was a suitable roommate (suitable meaning, a good boy who wouldn't do anything crazy and be able to keep Dark in check).

However, since the school year wasn't starting for another month, Hijiri wasn't going to be moving in just yet. He was simply bringing his belongings down so that everything would be easier later on. He had already told Dark that he was going back to Monaco to spend time with his father, so everything was set. Although, Dark had 'forgotten' to pass on this information to his parents, which meant that they were under the assumption that Hijiri would still be there to keep an eye on Dark for the month. How convenient for him.

"Hey Hijiri," he tapped the door to his friend's room with his foot (as he was still holding Bandit) and pushed it open. The boy was putting his stuff away, making sure everything was in perfect order (2). "Hijiri, you're leaving for the airport tomorrow, right?"

Without looking, the emerald-eyed boy nodded. "My flight leaves at eight, so I'll probably be gone before you wake up."

Sitting down on the bed, Dark watched him as he took the last items out of the box. "Sure," he continued to massage Bandit's back. "Neh, what say we eat in tonight, then? We'll get some take-out and have our first dinner on the floor (3), kind of like a christening. How's that sound?"

Hijiri flattened the box and stacked it with the others; he'd take them out later. "I guess so." He thought it over some more and gave a tired smile. "Yea, sure, sounds good." Then he eyed the dog. "What about your little Bandit?"

"Eh?"

"Dark, you did buy him some dog food, didn't you?"

Oddly enough, the string of silence was just what Hijiri was expecting. The dark-haired boy bolted up and raced into the main room. "Uh, how about we stop by the pet store on our way to the restaurant?"

Grabbing his keys, Hijiri picked up the stack of flattened boxes and hurried after him. "I really hope this place will still be in one piece by the time I get back."

---

Luckily there was a central light in the living room, so the two didn't have to eat blindly. Except for Dark's boxes, a cushion for Bandit, and a radio, the living room was empty. It wasn't much of a home. Hijiri looked up at his roommate, who was attempting to keep his dog from pawing his carton of food. The brown-haired boy was a bit worried; what would he do for the whole month? Wouldn't it be a bit lonely and boring without someone else around?

After he finished his dinner, he placed his carton on the floor and turned down the radio. "Dark?"

Said boy swallowed the last bit of food in his mouth and glanced up. "What is it?"

"Are you sure you'll be ok by yourself for a whole month? I kind of feel guilty for leaving you here to set up all of the furniture…"

"We already agreed on it, don't worry." Bandit demanded his attention, and pushed against his owner's abdomen. "Bandit's here, so I'll be fine. Isn't that right, boy?" He held out his hand and the puppy licked the top of it.

Hijiri noticed this with wonder. He remembered when Dark was coming out of the restaurant with their dinner earlier and a loud, booming sound echoed out of nowhere. It had spooked the violet-eyed boy, but Bandit had licked his hand in assurance, and then it rained. The blare had only been thunder, a prelude to the storm.

'I guess he'll be all right.' Picking up his and Dark's empty cartons, Hijiri walked over to the door and threw them away. 'Why was I worrying? This is Dark we're talking about.' He stole two cans of soda from the refrigerator and sat down again.

The plip-plop of the rain against their terrace window was interrupted when they opened their drinks. A slow, depressing song with a few sharp mutations in the chorus was playing softly on the radio. According to Dark, these were the best conditions for a certain kind of entertainment. And since this was their last night together and he was bored… "Oh Hijiri…" he murmured slowly.

The boy stopped in mid-sip. When Dark dragged his name out like that, he knew that only one thing was coming. And he hated it. He coughed, the soda almost going down the wrong pipe. "Come on Dark! It's my last night with you for a whole month and you want to do that!"

Lifting Bandit off of his lap, Dark casually made his way over to his roommate and grinned. Of course, Hijiri could see the underlying meaning a mile away. In response, he stood up abruptly and tried to slink away to the sanctuary of his room.

"No way are you getting away from me tonight, Hijiri!" Catching the boy's wrist, Dark pushed him against the wall and revealed the evil gleam in his eyes.

"Dark, please."

"But we haven't done it since that sleepover three months ago!" He pleaded.

"Peh…like we really slept that night…"

"Hijiri, please?" There it was, the puppy-dog eyes. Not only that, but Bandit was pawing against his leg. Did he support Dark's wish, too?

'I'm surrounded.' He sighed. Maybe if he gave in now, it wouldn't be too bad later.

"I know you enjoy it, too."

'Like hell I enjoy it. He's the only one who gets any pleasure out of this.'

Dark reached behind him, pulling a tiny tube out of his back pocket. "Come on Hijiri," he pressed the button on the side of it, held it under his chin and grinned. "Let's tell ghost stories!"

---

About ten minutes after Dark had convinced Hijiri to listen to his scary story, they were back in the middle of their living room, sitting on either side of the small flashlight that Dark always carried around. Hijiri hated scary stories; moreover, he despised the way that Dark told them. He would always, _always_ build up the perfect suspense and then scare the living daylights out of him with surprising noises or throwing something at him from out of nowhere. During the sleepover they had a while ago, he even went as far as calling his cell phone right at the climax of the story so that it rang out and elicited a high-pitched scream from him.

Hijiri unconsciously scooted next to Bandit, who had decided to sit next to him for protection. 'This was a stupid idea. Dark's going to scare me again, I won't be able to sleep, and I'll probably miss my flight tomorrow.' He slumped over. 'How does he trick me into these things!'

"All right Hijiri, I got one!" Dark called out triumphantly.

'Aw man.' Without thinking, he hugged Bandit close to him.

"My friend told me this one a long time ago, so it won't be perfect," he sighed. "Sorry Hijiri, I got so caught up in getting you to agree to this that I didn't even stop to think if I had any new stories to tell you." Dark shrugged while Hijiri mentally thanked God for this break. "Oh well, I'll just improvise a bit."

Taking hold of the flashlight, Dark closed the distance between them and kept the light angled at his face so that mysterious shadows loomed on the walls behind him. "Once upon a time, there was a boy who was wandering down the highway of a pitch-black, deserted road. All he could see was his foggy breath, and all he could hear was the crunching of his shoes on the gravel road. Suddenly, a bright light came out of nowhere, illuminating his shadow against the ground. It was a pair of headlights. The car stopped next to him, and an old lady rolled down her window and called out to him.

'Young man, where are you heading?'

'I'm trying to reach the next town. My car broke down a ways back and I need to get some gas.'

'The next town is two miles away, get in and I'll drive you there.'

So, he got in and she drove him into town, but by then, the gas station was closed, so she invited him to stay with her in her house. Since it had started to rain, he accepted."

Dark paused and got up, intending to act out the story as he told it. "She led him upstairs to the dreary second floor. Then she opened one of the doors and ushered him inside.

'You can stay here. This is my daughter's room.'

He was a bit wary of staying in there if her daughter was in there as well, but she explained that it was the only other available room in the house, so he stayed. He looked inside and saw an old-fashioned room divider (4) and assumed that she was already sleeping on the other side. Satisfied, he went to sleep.

About three hours later, a strange sound woke him up. It was a soothing, rhythmic kind of music. He sat up and saw a figure dancing on the other side of the divider. He assumed that it was the daughter, so he went back to sleep. Then, a few hours later, the music suddenly vanished, and the abrupt silence woke the boy up again. Curious, he walked over to the divider and poked a small hole through the parchment-like paper. However, when he looked through it, all he could see was red." Dark shrugged, as if he were that boy. "Since he was still tired, he just went back to sleep.

The following morning, when the boy went downstairs, he told the old lady what had happened.

'Last night I saw your daughter dancing, she's quite good.'

The old lady turned around and stared at him. 'My daughter? It must have been your imagination.'

'Why?' He asked.

'Because, my daughter died three years ago.'"

Dark's voice had grown quite soft, so soft that he had to lean in closer so that Hijiri could still hear him.

'Dead?'

'Yes, she died in that very room.'

And that was the first time the boy saw a picture of a girl on the wall. He paled, the first thing he noticed, were her blood-red eyes."

Dark quickly put his flashlight down and walked away, leaving Hijiri's heart fluttering madly. Was that the end? If it was, then it wasn't so bad. Then, he saw Dark point at him, and the next thing he knew, a pair of gleaming red eyes stared boldly into his green ones.

"AHHHHH!"

Hijiri fell back and rolled off to the side onto his knees, his breath coming out in short, rapid sessions. His heart hammered against his chest, and his trembling was anything but inconspicuous.

"HAHAHA!" Dark was as giddy as a child on Christmas, holding his sides and letting his melodic laughter fill the empty room.

More confused than frightened at that moment, Hijiri glanced back at where he had sat and saw that Bandit was there, Bandit, and his red eyes. 'That's why Dark put the flashlight down there and pointed at me.' The shine from the light reflected off of the dog's eyes and… Glaring at his 'friend,' Hijiri grabbed Bandit's cushion, ran over to him and began beating the hell out of him. "DARK! You jerk; I knew you'd plan something! You _always_ plan something to scare the shit out of me!"

Between his laughter, Dark attempted to block some of the hits. Sure it was only a cushion, but with Hijiri's force behind it, some of it hurt.

With his tongue lapping and his tail wagging, Bandit just tilted his head and looked on.

---

"…What a lovely sound." There was a rustle from the trees outside of their dorm window. A figure sat on one of the branches, unwrapping the bandages on his hands. "How dare that boy disrupt such beautiful laughter…"

---

Bandit returned to his seat in Dark's lap. He licked the underside of the boy's chin, a futile attempt to ease his pain. After Hijiri had grown tired of using the cushion, he resorted to using his fists.

"Man, Hijiri…you can't take a joke." Dark massaged a particularly aching spot on his collarbone, where Hijiri had 'accidentally' hit him with his hand instead of the cushion.

"Serves you right." The green-eyed boy sat opposite of him, his arms crossed. "I told you not to do anything like that but you went ahead and did it anyway."

"Hey, you never said I couldn't--"

"How long have you known me, Dark?" He asked rhetorically. "You know I hate ghost stories."

"I'm sorry, Hijiri, but I couldn't resist," his vibrant grin was visible even in the dim light. "You're so easy to tease."

"Mm."

Catching the hint, Dark hugged Bandit close to him and smiled. "All right Hijiri, it's your turn now."

He sighed. This part wasn't any fun either. Hijiri wasn't any good at telling ghost stories. He didn't have that intention to instill fear like his roommate did. "I don't know any. Well, none that you haven't already heard."

"Then just make it up." He stood up, and headed for his room. "I'm going to put Bandit to bed, he looks pretty tired. While I tuck him in, you can think of a story." His footsteps soon faded away, as did the creaking of the floorboards, as he walked into his own room with his dog's cushion.

The brown-haired boy sighed. He really didn't have any ideas for a ghost story. It was hard enough listening to one, but to create one that could scare Dark? Nonetheless, it was their last night, and he was angry about the red eyes thing…

"Hm?" Hijiri caught sight of the radio, and then he remembered a news report about an escaped psychopathic killer on the loose. A seldom-seen wicked grin spread across the boy's lips. What better inspiration than the truth?

---

Dark placed his puppy on the cushion and draped a fuzzy blanket over him. It wasn't necessary, but it was cute. Besides, Bandit was still young, and the window was open, so he reasoned that a blanket was acceptable.

"I'll be back soon. After all, Hijiri's stories are about as long as they are scary," he said, stroking Bandit's fur with affection.

The puppy looked at him, staring right into his violet eyes. The sensation was instantaneous; he leaned in and the puppy licked his face. Bandit reminded Dark of his little brother's rabbit, With. With also had reddish-colored eyes, although, he was a rabbit. He had bought him for Daisuke a year ago so that he wouldn't be lonely when Dark left.

"I guess I'm lonely, too," he let Bandit lick him one more time before he got up. "It's a good thing I have you to keep me company. Good night." Dark closed the door behind him so that any noise that would ensue from Hijiri's story wouldn't wake up Bandit.

Seeing that his master wouldn't be returning soon, Bandit whined and then curled up to go to sleep.

---

"What a lucky puppy, to have the boy's attention and love." The figure tore off the last bit of bandage and let the wind carry it away. The rain was coming down a bit heavier now, causing his hair to mat against his pale face. He pushed it away. "What a lucky puppy…I'm getting a bit jealous…"

---

"All right Hijiri, I think that's enough time," Dark came back into the room and sat next to his roommate. "Come on, scare me up."

Hijiri smiled and turned off the radio. He glanced at Dark and nodded. "Yea, I'm ready." Clearing his throat, he picked up the flashlight and held it near his face as Dark had demonstrated earlier. "Once upon a time there was a private, all-boys boarding school called St. Matthew. A young man named Hajime came in one day and was given the position as professor of Christian history. Everything was running smoothly until one day, one of his students, Izune, confessed that he had feelings for him."

Hijiri paused, hoping to add some dramatic effect and slow the pace down.

"Of course, they were part of a Catholic school, and sodomy was forbidden (5), so Hajime immediately refused him and told him to seek counseling. However, now aware of this knowledge, an attraction grew, and the professor's curiosity of the forbidden act soon grew to be too much to bear. The two became deeply involved, pretending that nothing was happening during the day, and expressing their emotions at night. And so it was…at least, for a little while."

"What do you mean, a little while? What happened?"

Hijiri raised a brow; this was supposed to be a horror story, not some suspenseful movie plot. 'I'm a Literature major; everything turns into an elaborate story. But as long as he's listening,' he shushed him. "If you want to know, then shut up."

Dark pouted. He settled down, eager to find out what happened.

"Now where was I? Oh yes. Soon, the guilt of having betrayed God's law became unbearable. Hajime took a few days off, and stayed in his room, trying to think of a solution. But he couldn't come up with one because he couldn't decide between his devotion to the Lord and his love for Izune. That night, Izune came to him to see if he was feeling ok,"

"Hijiri…"

The green-eyed boy sighed. "Dark, I told that you'll never find out what happens if you keep interrupting me."

"I know, but…"

"What?"

The dark-haired boy voiced an interesting question. "When did you start thinking about stuff like this?"

Hijiri glared at him. "I don't! It's just how the story goes, so shut up!"

Dark slumped. "…But you made it up…"

"ANYWAY, after their moment, Izune told Hajime that he knew how he felt. He too, was confused about what they did and how it could be right and wrong at the same time. He didn't want Hajime to suffer under the guilt, so he took at the knife he had hidden and stabbed himself twice, once for each of them, in an act of atonement. Before Hajime could stop him, the bleeding had become so severe that Izune died.

Hajime felt that it was his fault for his lover's death, and so that was what he confessed to the priest. He was then taken to away to a psychiatric ward, and never heard from again…until…"

"Until what?"

Ignoring the comment, Hijiri continued. "Until five years later, when there was a break in security at the ward where he was held, and Hajime escaped. They say that when he was there, the medication he was given was meant to make him forget the events that occurred at the school over time; however, since he escaped, the treatment was never completed. Now Hajime wanders in search of his Izune, desperate to find him and confess his real feelings. He wants to tell Izune that he finally decided that his love for him was stronger than his devotion to the Lord."

Hijiri moved closer to Dark. "They say that young males with short, dark hair should be wary, since Izune had wondrously shadowy-colored tresses, so…Dark…you should watch your back." He flicked one of Dark's curiously long bangs, set the flashlight down, and backed away.

Dark blinked and looked over at Hijiri. "You mean, that's the end!"

Satisfied with his story, he nodded. "Yup, that's the end."

The violet-eyed boy felt robbed. "What kind of a ghost story was that! That's more like a lost lover, chick flick, grabbing the tissue box kind of gossip story! Hijiri—wah!" At that moment, a harsh clap of thunder pervaded the skies, and the rain poured down heavier than ever.

Allowing himself a soft chuckle, Hijiri stood up and stretched, a yawn escaping his lips. "Too bad Bandit's already asleep. He can't lick your hand and let you know that everything's ok."

"Yea, yea…"

"I'm going to sleep. It'll be a miracle if I'll be able to wake up in the morning."

Dark picked up his flashlight and the radio and carried them back to his room. 'At least my story was scary.' He shrugged off those thoughts. "All right. Guess I'll see you in a month then, Hijiri."

"Sure. Unless you want me to wake you up before I leave."

Dark managed a chuckle. "You really think I'm going to get up that early when school hasn't even started yet? Besides, it's not like I can't call you."

Hijiri nodded. "Fine. I'll give you a ring when I get home. Night, Dark."

"If I can even sleep you mean…"

That sparked the brown-haired boy's interest. "Were you really scared?"

Dark snorted. "Of course not. But now I'm curious about what could have happened. Will he find him, will he keep looking…"

Hijiri groaned. "Dark, I made it up! It was just something I heard on the radio earlier about an escaped convict! And if you were really listening, you'd know that Hajime just thinks that Izune is still alive. The boy killed himself, remember?"

Apparently, his roommate wasn't paying him much mind. "Hm…I think they'll find each other. That's how all fairy tales end…"

Deciding to let Dark's imagination run wild, Hijiri walked into his room and prepared to go to sleep. "Idiot."

---

Even though Dark had gone to bed around eleven, he was still thinking about the story that Hijiri had told him, and so he didn't fall asleep for another hour. It was still raining.

_Kink kink kink_

Dark stirred and opened his eyes. The sun wasn't out yet, and it was still dim, which meant that it must have been pretty late. When he was reaching for his clock, he accidentally knocked it over. In the shuffle, he noted that it was only three in the morning.

'That sound couldn't have been Hijiri then…so what…?' He was about to get up to see about it, but then he felt a lick on his hand. He smiled. 'Well, if Bandit says it's ok, then it's ok.' Dark shifted a bit and went back to sleep.

_Kink kink _

Again, the sound had managed to bring Dark slightly into consciousness. It had only been half an hour. Clenching his hand, he wondered if he should get up and see if Hijiri knew what was making the noise. Then the reassuring lick returned. It tickled as his fingers were attacked this time, too. Dark snuggled back into his pillow. "Thanks, Bandit," he murmured.

_Kink kink kink_

Dark didn't even bother to make an effort this time. 'It must be the pipes or something. The wind and rain are probably responsible.' He kept his hand over the side of the bed, waiting for his puppy to back him up in his silent assumptions. "Bandit?" Faithful to the call, a few licks were enough to put the boy's mind at ease. He returned to his slumber, and hoped to make it to morning that way.

---

Dark awoke to the sun's glaring rays on his face. It was the definitive wake-up call. At that moment he decided that the first thing he'd buy would be curtains. The clock he had knocked over read 9:45 a.m. 'I guess that means that Hijiri is already on his way home.' Stretching a bit, Dark slowly got up and looked around. Bandit wasn't on his cushion. 'Must be outside waiting for me. I bet he's hungry.'

Walking out to the living room, Dark noticed that there wasn't even a note from Hijiri reminding him to set up the furniture, to make sure Bandit didn't bark loud enough to draw attention, or even to pick up his mail when he went to get his own. That alone made Dark a bit inquisitive. "He was probably in a rush," the dark-haired boy chuckled nervously. "Maybe he didn't get much sleep because of my ghost story." He walked towards the bathroom, his eyes scanning the room for Bandit along the way.

"Bandit? Hey Bandit, where'd you go? Hm?" The door to the bathroom was slightly ajar. A low rumbling was heard. It sounded like…the bathroom fan. 'Did Hijiri leave it on?' Nearing the room Dark's eyes caught something that made his adrenaline surge. There was…a bloody footprint on the threshold.

"…Hi-Hijiri?" His hands were shaking. When he noticed, he grabbed it, trying to make it stop, but only encouraging it to shake further. A small rivulet of red pooled out under the door and sullied the white carpet. 'Is Hijiri still here? Is he hurt?' Forcing his movements, Dark made his way to the bathroom. He placed his hand on the door and took breath, feeling the air vibrate as it traveled into his body. 'Get a grip on yourself! This could just be revenge for last night. Yea…come on now, deep breath and…'

Dark pushed the door open, the heart wrenching creak of its rusty hinges the only sound comforting him as he took in the display. The violet in his eyes faded to an unhealthy shade of lavender as they mirrored the walls of blood. Red on red, the splashes telling their story of resistance, pain, and an innocent slaughter. The pervading stench of rotting copper caused him to draw his hand up over his nose. It was as if death was exuding from the room, suffocating all life. An overturned chair lay on a pile of shattered glass – one of the sliding shower doors had been broken. A trickle of water could be heard, dripping…at least, Dark prayed it was water.

Then his eyes caught it – an arrow painted on the remaining shower door, pointing to a shattered portion of the divider. His feet convulsed, bringing him forward without his permission, guiding him closer to satisfy his terrified curiosity. It was grossly familiar, reminding him of the story he had told Hijiri last night.

"_Curious, he walked over to the divider and poked a small hole through the parchment-like paper. However, when he looked through it, all he could see was red."_

He was trembling so much; he could barely align himself to focus in order to see through it. Red. It was as if his throat collapsed in on itself. Red. With a surge of energy, couple with fear and anger, Dark practically threw the door aside and then backed away until he collided with the wall. There was a choking feeling in his stomach, a tight, heavy feeling in his sternum. Breaths were coming out in short spurts, but he wouldn't bring his head up.

"H-H-Hi…Hijiri…"

Tied at the wrists and suspended from the showerhead, Hijiri's mangled body lay visible for Dark to witness. Pajamas were ripped; exposing cuts, bruises, and painfully executed gashes. Red fluid collected at his feet, slowly draining away as his life must have during the morning hours. But worst of all, most ironic, were his eyes. Wrapped by torn bandages, red eyes were colored in over his own, staring at the viewer. Piercing, accusing…

He wanted to pass out, if only to assure the fact that he wouldn't accidentally see the image again. "Wake up, Dark! Wake up! Wake up!" Slipping on the tiles the broken boy fell with a harsh thump. The still-warm blood of his friend began rooting itself in his clothes, clinging, cruelly covering the goose bumps on his body.

_Plip Plop _

It was mocking him. The blood that fell onto his hair and now stained his pajamas…they made the same sound that the rain did last night. Somehow it didn't surprise him when he saw what he did above him.

Limb for limb, his guardian Bandit was nailed against the ceiling. His shorthair fur matted to his limb body, his once fluffy tail dangling above him, dripping…plip-plopping. The pelts that fell marked his face on their decent; it was a cool, tingling sensation. They mingled with his unconscious tears, trailing the length of his creamy skin.

He shot up with a sudden realization. 'G-Got to get o-out.' His nerves kicked in, he backed out slowly, shuffling his feet, trying his best not to look up or to the side…not to slide on the puddles below him. "I'm just dreaming. H-Hijiri…Bandit. Just dreaming. Stupid stories…just dreaming…just dream--"

A solid figure halted his retreat, and Dark was damn sure it wasn't a wall. A hand grabbed his own, and another slid over and his mouth. Both were wet with…stained with…

Through a clean spot in the opposing vanity mirror, Dark's eyes widened and then shut tightly. Gold eyes stared back at him with more than amusement in its depths, the feel of blood-saturated clothes pressing behind him elevating his shivers to convulsions.

"…Where's the laughter?"

Dark grudgingly opened his eyes, a bit of ill-color reappearing.

"I'd kill to hear it again, that wonderful laughter."

The shaking stopped. As far as Dark was aware, his breathing had stopped. This…man…he was licking his neck. The exact spot where Hijiri had accidentally hit him the night before. And he was rubbing his palm, where Bandit—

"Oh yes, didn't you know?" A warm, soft voice grazed the moist flesh of his jugular, and Dark felt himself falling, falling… "Humans can lick, too."

_Plip plop_

---  
1. Monaco is a small, ocean-side city in Italy. It's known for it's beautiful works of art and wonderful scenery.  
2. Both Dark and Hijiri have their own rooms within the dorm. In certain universities/colleges there are larger dorms for students who can afford it (I will probably not be one of those few).  
3. They're eating on the floor because they haven't set up any furniture yet. Hijiri expects Dark to take care of that while he's away (since he paid the larger amount).  
4. A tall apparatus that looks like a row of bay windows that can fold together. Instead of glass, there's see-through paper material filling the spaces.  
5. Sodomy is having sexual relations with someone of the same gender or with an animal (of course I'm not referring to the latter in this case). It is forbidden because sodomites beget nothing (that is, when two males have relations, nothing is produced the way a baby can be produced when a male and a female have relations), which means it is a wasteful act.  
---

SS – I admit, I took it around the block. I don't know…when I start typing things always get out of control. Anyway, fill in the gaps yourself. I bet everyone knows who "the killer" is. As for the sounds at night, just think about it. If you really don't know and want to know...tell me in the review and I'll explain it in a second chapter or something.

Some of you may recognize Hijiri's story. If you do, then you know where I also got his name. I've just been captivated by the lovely art and intriguing storyline. I'm not taking credit for any of it. I'm just incorporating everything together in a DNAngel setting for my friend because she scared the bejeeeves out of me with the first ghost story I heard in a year.

Happy Halloween.  
Stay Safe.

_SSGuardian_


End file.
